Early Childhood

Mental Health

Consultation

 

Lessons Learned From

A Pilot Project in Arkansas

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What is Early Childhood Mental Health (ECMH)?What is Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation?Does ECMH Consultation work?Am I ready to provide ECMH Consultation?How do I provide ECMH Consultation?What tools can I use to provide ECMH Consultation?Additional Resources for Working with TeachersAdditional Resources for Working with ParentsGoing Beyond ECMH Consulation

   

    AM I READY TO PROVIDE ECMH CONSULTATION?

 

First, have you read this book? 

 

Mental Health Consultation in Child Care:

Transforming Relationships Among Directors, Staff, and Families

by Kadija Johnston and Charles Brinamen.

 

It’s a valuable resource that covers EMCH consultation from basic principles to the nuts and bolts of responding to case referrals.

 

The ECMH consultant is a specialist, yet a wide range of knowledge is required.  Johnston and Brinamen describe seven areas of focus that the consultant must master:

        1. Self Awareness.
        2. Knowledge of infant mental health principles.
        3. Experience working with parents.
        4. Familiarity with typical child development.
        5. Group facilitation skills.
        6. Appreciation of group care.
        7. Curiosity and respect for differences.  

 

Second, do you have opportunities for supervision and consultation?  No matter how long you have worked in mental health, if consultation is new to you, seek out others who are doing this work, and call upon your colleagues who are experienced in working with young children.

 

And finally, most of all, the “consultative stance” requires that you listen with empathy and understanding.  As your knowledge base increases, your confidence will grow.  You can do this work if you have the willingness to open your heart to children and their caregivers.

To order a copy-->

 

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: An Evaluation Tool Kit

Take a quick look at the essential knowledge, skills, and attributes of the competent ECMH consultant (page 7), critical practices associated with the “consultative stance” (page 8), and important steps in building partnerships and collaborative relationships (page 10).  Also, the appendix contains a set of evaluation instruments designed to measure every facet of the ECMH consultation process, and includes a comprehensive checklist of 34 consultant qualifications and skills considered essential to this work (page 70).

http://gucchd.georgetown.edu/products/ECMHCToolkit.pdf